The Last Hero

Alter Bridge Recording Live In Cardiff

Opening a show with a quartet of bands, early on Monday evening in Cardiff Like A Storm. An unknown quantity for many, if you were not aware that three brothers Brooks in the band are from New Zealand. The opening with a blast of the didgeridoo from lead singer Chris Brooks gave a context to the heritage of the band who, with their Canadian band mate are all living in Canada now.

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They certainly were relishing playing in Wales for the first time, promising to be back with a short set including TNT, an AC/DC classic with a mix of their own numbers including Chaos and Wish You Hell from the alternative heavy metal band’s current album Awaken The Fire. The live powerful set certainly awakening the audiences attention tonight who were getting excited with favourites amongst the three different interpretations of Rock tonight French band Gojira, Danish Volbeats and Floridians Alter Bridge.

Gojira – previously known as Godzilla producing a heavy bass thumping metal from Bayonne with brothers (almost a theme here!) Joe & Mario Duplantier joined by bassist Jean-Michel Labadie & guitarist Christian Andreu. They deliver their own brand of metal, harsh, industrial, loud and grinding out the beat with timing that is tight and the musicianship is without argument superb. With a 2016 album Magma to play live unsurprisingly Silvera and The Cell were in the mix. The sound is colossal and the bass lines hit hard in the solar plexus. Gojira’s music style is just too heavy for my tastes, that withstanding as ever live music rules and for lovers of death metal, Gojira has it all.

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Third on a night where live music was shaking the dust from the vaulted ceiling of The Motorpoint, with another quick change and a new backdrop Volbeat took to the stage. Following Gojira, which was loud full of energy was going to be a task as the crowd’s excitement was rising proved an easy feat for the boys from Denmark. These brothers in music deliver a kaleidoscope of sound as Rockabilly, Rock n Roll collide with Metal with a splash of Punk. Out of this potentially chaotic style emerges Volbeat for many in Cardiff the band of the night. With a new album Seal the Deal & Lets Boogie sums up the set. They sealed the deal with the audience who were delighted with the live music and they certainly added boogie to the musical journey we were being taken on before Alter Bridge.

Opening with The Devil’s Bleeding Crown from their current album Seal the Deal & Lets Boogie the filling arena participated and their engagement got louder and hotter. No song is off limits for the Volbeat treatment as acoustic guitar heralds Johnny Cash’s Ring Of Fire, Michael Poulson builds the crowd up who are happy to join in the fun as acoustic makes way for electric. This stage piece of the band a Volbeat signature that we mash-up the styles to create our own. This is a band that wants everyone to have a good-time, to party with them. The cheer as Barney Greenway (Napalm) joined them on Evelyn was loud and genuine. The Cardiff Motorpoint audience was now getting loud and they were ready to have rock cascade over them song after song. They definitely Seal the Deal with Alter Bridge that they would warm up the atmosphere in Cardiff.

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The three bands who had entertained since 6.15pm had warmed the stage and spacious auditorium ready for Alter Bridge who were recording tonight for a live CD. If the crowd was excited before now they were ecstatic, a moment of fame “yes that was my scream, whistle yes it was I was there”.
The anticipation was high, but did Alter Bridge vault the expectation of fans yes, probably the added frisson of a live recording helped. For me, the engagement at times between audience and the band was a little flat. There was none of the danger of Gojira, of friendly warm rocking communion that Cardiff had with Volbeat. That said there is no doubt that the combination of Myles Kennedy’s vocals and Mark Tremonti guitar will always be a charismatic and winning combination. The band bounce off each other and as you would expect the musicianship was exceptional as was the set with the changing visuals this was not about showmanship it was Alter Bridge delivering rock that will always, please. There is no competition in the band they are there to play the music live we want to hear. Huge anthems and songs to be heard live for the first time from the current album The Last Heroes. The Writing On The Wall opened the set and shaped the rest of the evening as Alter Bridge played the music that makes them identifiable and so very listenable.

This was Alter Bridge playing the music live as they filled the cavernous arena that is the Motorpoint with rock music that stays with you. Lyrics linger and riffs capture you with a musical hug Addicted To Pain was smashed as they followed with Poison In Your Veins. Two different albums Fortress versus The Last Hero these songs played live prove the quality of the catalogue that makes Alter Bridge.

With Waters Rising, Mark Tremonti has the opportunity to add a vocal flourish to the guitar playing that was majestic with its riffs, licks and lead breaks throughout the set tonight. Mark, makes his guitar sing deep with a rock vibe. Then the quiet moment time to draw breath with Myles Kennedy acoustic as he sung Watch Over You. Then back came the band and the throttle was revved back up and a back to back pairing that were definite highlights Isolation and Blackbird. Alter Bridge were on form tonight a gush of beats that rocked the collective soul in Cardiff tonight.

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All to soon the hour and half whizzed by and the auditorium fell quiet with just the buzz of people talking as they entered into a Cold Monday night in Cardiff hot with the music that had fuelled them since just after six and Alter Bridge Recording Live In Cardiff.

Alter Bridge In Search of The Last Hero

With five albums now released Alter Bridge are blending earlier influences with music they want to play now heavier with a curling melodic guitar driven journey that speeds you through the music. Alter Bridge refuse to stand still they continue to strive to improve on the last album pleasing current fans and winning new followers. As Myles Kennedy says “While recognizing where we’ve come from, we wanted to expand what Alter Bridge is. This record is definitely an exploration of the hero theme—whether it be the lack of heroes, the need for heroes, or a tribute to heroes. There’s a story in there.”

This is hard rock with the sting of metal with the winning combination of Tremonti and Kennedy as guitar and vocals work off each other as the story of the music unfolds and takes you on a darkened journey where our footsteps chime with the frantic urging rhythm from Marshall & Phillips.

Opening with Show Me A Leader the swell of the melody builds ready for the guitar solo to stream through like a visionary light that is Mark Tremonti, the pace picks up and Myles Kennedy storms the number with Show Me A Leader refrain, with a yearning yet manic desperation. A reflection of today’s troubled world as we seek leaders and heroes to shed light into the darkness. The track pulls you as all opening numbers should into the album with an adrenalin-driven need to hear more. There is a feeling of a narrative a story pulling you through the album to the title track. The pace is fast metal to the ground for the doom-laden The Writing On The Wall this is Alter Bridge that continues to excite. With riffs that are muscular, bass lines that are heavy and drumming driven to shape the rhythm. This is the solid rock face that Tremonti and Kennedy stand on building the tension creating anthems of the future with tracks like My Champion, we all need someone that champions us. For stand out guitar laden riffs, and licks with solid drumming chops it has to be Poison In Your Veins, this is a loud fast-moving four minutes of delight, the poison of the guitar seeps into your veins in a delectable way this is poison that sounds very good, who needs an antidote to this! Now we are at fever pitch half way through the album how can they build on this opening studio album full of resounding lyrics, choruses that you want to sing out loud and guitar solos that seep into your soul. They can’t I am sorry to say. It is an album of two halves. The second half is good but the momentum is static Losing Patient the silent opening almost made me lose patience! When the track opens up it is more of the same an echo of the previous tracks. Then that track with a difference a power ballad, You Will Be Remembered that captures the story, direction and feeling of the first six tracks, we are looking at heroes that serve communities and the country. We may not have political heroes but people still can be heroic. Then we have the epic title track that brings the album to a close the tempo is controlled the melodic lyrical closing is full of heartfelt desperation as The Last Hero tried to save us. There is a burning necessity in the guitar playing looking, probing with chords that are trying to find the light and matching the vocal tone of Myles perfectly. The album is very good, but what we needed was a coherent strong bridge between the first and second half of the album to make The Last Hero truly heroic and great.